Years ago, I wrote an article about finding God in Bergdorf Goodman - a luxury department store on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, NY. To this day, ladies tell me it’s one of the articles they love the most.
I think its secret power was that it gave women permission to love what they love. It gave them permission to look for the Divine in everything - even the material.
Walking through the iconic department store was the very definition of a hedonistic experience: pleasurable, luxurious, opulent.
But guess what? It was also a spiritual experience: ethereal, divine, exquisite.
On the fourth floor of Bergdorf’s, surrounded by couture, I found myself standing at the crossroads of hedonic happiness (the pursuit of pleasure) and eudaimonic happiness (the pursuit of meaning and purpose).
Equally, I knew that to do that, I must discover what a life of true pleasure looks and feels like for me.
And, I’ve been on that quest for over a decade. Turns out, a pleasurable life is not only a beautiful life, but a powerful one.
Finding the Faux and Recognizing the True
In my premium course The Slim Self-Image, I teach my ladies that there is a difference between faux pleasure and true pleasure.
True pleasure lasts well into the next day. There is no hangover from true pleasure, whether physical, emotional, or spiritual.
Faux pleasure hurts. It steals joy from your life, little by little. Faux pleasure feels amazing in the moment but then it vanishes, leaving you holding the metaphorical bag:
The extra weight
The under-eye bags
The credit card debt
The feeling in the pit of your stomach
As you build your life of responsible hedonism, remember this:
True pleasure lasts.
Gratitude for You to Borrow with Suzette Hogue Garcia
“For the last 30 days, I have been keeping a gratitude journal, and today I wanted to share my thoughts from this morning with all of you.
I am grateful for a new day—a new day to get to step into & embrace the life of my dreams.
Each morning that I wake, I get to move out of my comfort, and out of my yesterdays. I get to practice my morning routine—a routine that moves me physically towards my ideal, guides me towards mental & emotional wealth, and focuses me on how I want to show up, practice, and expand for the future I have envisioned.
I get to move my body the way I want. I get to meditate the way I want. I get to think the thoughts that I want. I get to eat intentionally the way I want. I get to clothe myself in the clothing that I want. I get to visualize my future the way I want. I get to show up for my goals, my business, and my future the way that I want.
I get to show up unapologetically for myself, and with others, the way that I want. And here’s the beautiful thing—I know what I want.
I want a quality life, a life filled with love, a life filled with passion, a life filled with beauty, and a life filled with significance—all of which I get to be the co-creator of.
My life is mine to decide, mine to create, mine to embody, and mine to feel all of the feels fully.
I truly am grateful for a new day.
I hope all of you have a beautiful day. Here’s a moodboard of my ideal life.”
What Every Hedonist Knows
Every hedonist knows that MAGIC is hiding in plain sight. The beauty of THIS moment is where you’ll find the spark.
Would you like more pleasure, fascination, and joy in your life?
Would you love to shake off the boredom, routine, and monotony?
Would you love to feel more magnetic and glamorous?
Then you’ve got to join me - for FREE - at my upcoming live event called Everyday Magic. of the time.
During this one-hour live event, we’ll cover the 4 ingredients for creating a magical life… and the good news is, they’re all within you right now.
Let life captivate you. Join me for Everyday Magic.
How to be a Responsible Hedonist
Why do you think I spent so much time in France? She was my classroom for responsible hedonism.
I’ve come to the conclusion (as many philosophers and psychologists have) that a well-lived life is not denying yourself pleasure but finding what a truly pleasurable life looks like for you - and enjoying it responsibly.
My life has been about discovering how to be a responsible hedonist. Curious what that looks like? I’m pulling back the curtain in today’s episode.
When it’s right, the dream will sort of… choose you. This week’s podcast episode will teach you how to design your dream fittings, step by step.
// TheEDIT
A weekly digital magazine by the School of Self-Image
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